Sunlight On The Ocean
One Last Story
Legolas was pulled back into the room from the dreamland he had inadvertently drifted into by Bilbo's voice. Gandalf's story must have finished, he had missed the last part.
It was the war, you did not miss anything. Yarna's voice was slightly amused but not scolding. She had probably only half-listened herself.
"What a very fine story, Gandalf, but we haven't heard the Elves! Yarna, Legolas, will either of you tell us your story? I dare say you each have enough secrets and old friends to fill Michel Delving twice over." Since reaching the undying lands Bilbo had regained a little of his vigour and energy yet it wouldn't last long and they all knew it.
Legolas laughed, trying to think of a way to avoid having to talk for hours on end.
"It is true yet it would be too long a story to tell tonight. Ask for Yarna's, not mine though; hers is a far greater tale." They had only been with Bilbo for three days and already Gandalf, Glorfindel and Lindir had told their life stories on the old Hobbit's request.
"Of course, of course. Well then Yarna, will you begin? We shall need the rest of the week to hear it all." She rolled her golden eyes and sighed.
"I cannot speak for so long; Lindir will feed you to the dogs if you have me wear out my voice." Lindir sat himself down next to her with a glass of water protectively.
"If she cannot sing at Tirion next week I will stop all food coming into this house." The Hobbits' faces went white, especially Sam's.
"Ignore him, we do," Melpomaen said from the corner, having kept out of the way in case he was called upon to speak.
"Please, Yarna," asked Frodo, his eyes wide knowing that she wouldn't refuse him. "One last story?"
He hadn't realised it but every Elf involuntarily glanced at the wizened Bilbo in his chair.
I do not want that to be the last thing he hears, nor to prevent us from speaking with him. She cast Legolas a worried look, hesitating.
Just start it, we can avoid anything else tomorrow. Go up to the call to war. He did not finish by saying that she should stop when the unhappiness started. They both hoped Bilbo would be satisfied with a childhood by the sea.
"Very well. Naneth, Ada, please fill in anything I may miss. Are you all familiar with the happenings of the late Second Age?" Sam shook his head timidly. "Do not worry, Sam, it was not that complicated. Sauron was advancing after the fall of Númenor." Isowen interrupted her daughter at that point.
"Unless Glorfindel got the date wrong, you were born the day Az-Pharazõn set sail." Yarna shrugged.
"The day you were born has no meaning other than to tell your age. The age I was born in has more significance than the day. I was born before the Last Alliance, before Gondor and Arnor came into being. The dangers were elsewhere, whispers and tales but no armies at the gate.
I had a brother, Gandir whom you have met and a sister, Alsea now married to Elladan and soon to be a mother. We grew up.." This time it was Glorfindel who cut his niece off.
"Your Father's gift for eloquence did not pass down to you. At least not when the truth is being told. Isowen, please take up the tale or else the only thing we will get any details about are the battles which do not come for quite some time yet we would hear of within the hour."
Legolas watched the little family banter amongst themselves, removed but part of it. Again his thoughts went to the small villa on the edge of a lake, surrounded by lavender.
Stop daydreaming, I would have thought you would want to hear this. He sat up straighter and focused entirely on Isowen, making sure that Yarna could see he was paying her mother his full attention.
"It was the middle of winter and, as we soon saw was her habit; she had the most wonderful timing. Her Uncles, who had promised to be there, were not." Glorfindel and Erestor stared at the floor uncomfortably. "She did however decide not to keep us waiting and arrived in time for her siblings to have their supper."
I try my best. Yarna shot him a grin.
Excuse me but I am listening to your mother, please refrain from commenting. Her eyes shone mischievously but she was quiet.
"Of all the things to bring two unruly Elflings after a long absence, my brother, when he did finally arrive, gave them a piece of fruit and complimented the baby before leaving again." It seemed the normally placid elleth was taking the opportunity to berate her brother as much as possible.
"I was keeping the rest of your brood out from under your feet!" Glorfindel protested.
"Anyway, my third beautiful child was born. Lírilasselanta I named her, Yarna Gandalf called her. You have had such a lot of names." Yarna shrugged.
Lírilasselanta? That is new. What does it mean? Legolas asked her. She did not reply.
"That's a pretty name. Why did you have two?" Sam asked loudly.
"Most Elves do, a name given by each parent. The father's name is usually taken but not always. Lírilasselanta is a little bit too long-winded to use easily," Yarna answered.
What does it mean? The stony silence seemed to stretch an eternity.
Song of the leaf-fall. Legolas couldn't help but turn his head sharply towards her in surprise. It could also mean winter song. Quenya is not easy to translate. She probably picked it because it sounded pretty, stop taking everything as if it means something, you are as bad as she is.
With you nothing was left to chance, I doubt that would have been.
Stop it. It does not matter and I would like to think that some of what we have done was us, not a pre-written plan. She turned away and re-focused on her mother.
"When you two have quite finished your little conversation," Erestor muttered to him. No one else had noticed, the conversation going back to the story after Sam's lesson in Elven names.
"Be quiet and listen, this may be more important than you think," he said. Legolas shifted from his seat on the window sill to the space next to Yarna, letting her relax against him. They all fell silent as Isowen began to speak.
… …
A/N: I am re-writing this, from All That Glitters (still up for reference mostly and will soon be taken down) at the same time as In Imladris He Dwells which is Glorfindel and Erestor's story. Isowen and Yarna are OCs, I wrote this before it was released that Melpomaen (Figwit) and Lindir are going to be played by the same person so just act as if they're not. Awkwardness.